3 very different concerts in a week.....all amazing and memorable. Quick reviews of them all. No time to write a comprehensive one of them all.....
After being a fan for around 20 years, I finally saw U2 in concert. I remember when I was around 16 years old, ditching school with my friends Narissa and Fiona and stalking the hotel where they were staying at in Melbourne. We hung out for hours, waiting and hoping for a glimpse of them. Eventually someone drove by in a limo with their window down. They were going pretty slow so I stuck my uniformed arm (Catholic school) in the window and ended up with what I hope was an actual autograph from the Edge. For all I know it could have been anyone, but I am choosing to believe that it was him. Coolest day of grade 11 ever. And I didn't even go to the fricking concert.
So way back in April when my good friend Kent suggested we go to U2 in October, my response was pretty much hell to tha yea! Sadly Kent ended up with what we think was the Swine Flu, so I ended up going with another friend. She was fun also, but not Kent :(.
Yes, the concert was at BC Place - a place that traditionally has crappy sound for concerts (ahem.... Madonna). Yes, it was with 50,000+ other fans. Yes that stupid claw thing on the spaceship blocked our view of the stage. But I did not care. The sound was actually fine, the crowd was completely into it, and they moved around the stage so much it didn't really make that much of a difference. Say what you will about the ego of this band, they deserve every accolade ever heaped on them.
They put on an outstanding show. They make the audience feel like they care about where they are. He mentioned the Skytrain, we sang happy birthday to Bill Gates, Bono forced a small child to run laps and didn't even have the decency to let her win. Bastard. They played a mix of old and new - which kept everyone content. I got to hear Sunday Bloody Sunday so I was happy. I am pretty sure I will never get to hear my absolute favourite U2 song - Hawkmoon 269 - a song they have not played live since 2001. This is it circa 1989 which is around when I stalked them with my friends....
It was a great, fun show. I wish Kent had been there :(. We had been looking forward to it for so long....... thankfully we had a few more shows coming up to make up for the lack of U2.
This Monday was the adorable Regina Spektor at the Orpheum. Adorable is actually an understatement for Regina. Seriously - she is as cute as a button. She skipped out on stage with her crazy hair and her cute skirt and leggings combo and this tiny Russian born New Yorker had us all in the palm of her hand from the first note. Although she was dwarfed by her massive piano, she commanded the stage - at one point pounding on a rickety chair with a drumstick while playing the piano with her other hand.
Her music is quirky and different - full of whispers and unique sound effects - and I love her for it. She played most of the new album - including Dance Anthem of the 80's - my fave song off of the new Album. She played a ton of old stuff as well. Which made me do a little happy dance in my seat. Highlight for me was the fabulous "That Time"(you-tube of it from Austin City Limits ala 2007 below) as well as a song I had never heard before that was about eye colour and how you can use the colour of a boys eyes to determine what kind of a person he is.
Tuesday night was the incomparable Metric. This Canadian indie band is a fairly new find of mine, even though they have been around for years. I have seen them at 2 festivals this year (Virgin Festival in Vancouver and Bumbershoot in Seattle) and it was good to see them perform a whole set. From the opening note until the lights went on we were on our feet, mesmerised by the amazing Emily Haines.
This woman is so incredibly sexy and hip and cool and who I wanna be. Srsly. If I could be her. Lawdy! She was wearing a gold sparkly mini-dress and looked phenomenal. We loved her dance moves - they are so frenetic and unique and uninhibited. It is as if the music takes hold of her and moves her - there is no method or choreography to it, it is just free and loose and awesome. I guess i don't need to state the obvious... that I have a mega girlcrush on this chick. Seriously, she makes you think about switching to the other team for a few days....
Their new album - Fantasies - is outstanding - and they played it all, as well as a ton of their older stuff. Dead Disco, Monster Hospital and my personal fave - Combat Baby. It was acoustic and amazing and someone a lot closer than I managed to capture it ...... below.
Enthralling and captivating and mesmerising and Canadian. Mad love for Metric.
All three concerts were awesome. All three had very different vibes. But they were all great.
Next up is Lady Gaga in December. Can't wait!
XO
No comments:
Post a Comment